United States President Donald Trump has once again highlighted his personal bond with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing India-US ties as a “very special relationship.” Addressing media in Washington, Trump stressed that despite occasional disagreements, “there is nothing to worry about” between the two nations.

“I’ll always be friends with Prime Minister Modi. He’s a great Prime Minister. I just don’t like what he is doing at this particular moment. But India and the United States have a very special relationship. We just have moments on occasion,” Trump remarked.

The President also spoke about ongoing trade negotiations with India, calling them “going great.” However, he expressed frustration with the European Union’s decision to impose a USD 3.5 billion fine on Google, terming it an unfair move against US technology companies.

On India’s oil imports from Russia, Trump admitted his disappointment but clarified that it does not affect the fundamentals of bilateral relations. “I’ve been very disappointed that India would be buying so much oil from Russia. I let them know that. We put a very big tariff on India — 50 percent, very high tariff. But I get along very well with Modi, as you know,” he said, citing Modi’s recent White House visit as proof of their strong rapport.

His remarks followed a recent post on Truth Social where Trump suggested the US had “lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest China.” When questioned, he downplayed the claim, insisting he does not believe such a shift has truly occurred.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi reiterated the importance of the India-US partnership. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the relationship is built on “shared interests, democratic values, and robust people-to-people ties.” He emphasized that the partnership has “weathered several transitions and challenges” and will continue to move forward based on mutual respect.

India also reaffirmed its commitment to ongoing trade talks with Washington, signaling continuity in bilateral engagement despite recent frictions.